Mobile communication systems have been developed due to the need to allow people to move away from fixed telephone and fixed data communication devices without making it more difficult to reach them. Mobile data transmission is particularly well supported by digital mobile systems, such as the Pan-European mobile system referred to as the global system for mobile communications (GSM). In a GSM network, packet data transmission may be provided between mobile terminals and external data networks by a general packet radio service (GPRS) system, while the GSM network may operate as a voice network. Terminal equipment may communicate with a GSM base station utilizing a mobile station, which may be a GPRS PC modem. Conventionally, a dial-up model is implemented when connecting to a GPRS modem for point-to-point (PPP) communications, however this requires the user to go through a tedious dial-up procedure to establish a GPRS connection. Furthermore, even after establishment of a connection with a GPRS system, the mobile terminal's functionality may be limited due to dial-up connection restrictions. This is undesirable, especially when operating a personal computer where users may desire an always-connected experience similar to the way an Ethernet connection functions.
Currently, the GSM 07.10 Terminal Equipment to Mobile Station (TE-MS) Multiplexer Protocol describes a multiplexing protocol for combining AT commands, circuit switched data, short messaging service (SMS) data and GPRS data on a single serial interface, however this protocol is difficult to implement and may not work well in many operating system environments, including the Microsoft Windows environment. The GSM 07.10 protocol is an overly complex generic interface protocol designed specifically for use on mobile handsets. Thus there is a general need for an improved system and modem/host communication method which may be suitable for use in a GPRS system.